


A Reply From The Dark

by devilishdiadem



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluffy Ending, Repost from ffnet, Weddings, i need to get better at tagging jesus christ, not toothrottingly fluffy but not far off either
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:08:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27689416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/devilishdiadem/pseuds/devilishdiadem
Summary: Neville visits his parents at St. Mungo's once more, this time with an announcement.
Relationships: Alice Longbottom & Frank Longbottom & Neville Longbottom, Alice Longbottom/Frank Longbottom, Hannah Abbott/Neville Longbottom
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	A Reply From The Dark

“Hey, Mum,” Neville said softly, walking into the dimly lit room. It was evening and the hospital was quiet; only a few nurses wandered the halls, doing a final check on their patients before the night staff took over. Frank and Alice Longbottom lay in their beds in the dark room, staring blankly. Neville closed the door behind him with a gentle click before moving to the edge of his mother’s bed. Alice turned to face her son, but her eyes remained glossy and unfocused. 

Neville smiled sadly as he took his mother’s hands in his own. “The nurses say you’ve been doing well,” he said gently. “They say that one day, you and Dad may be able to move out of here and into somewhere a bit nicer.”

Alice didn’t show any sign of hearing him. Neville didn’t expect one… hadn’t expected one for a long time. He looked over at his father. “Hey, Dad,” he muttered.

He took a deep breath and looked back at his mother. “I’m getting married, Mum,” he spoke. “She’s really amazing. I think you’ll like her.” He hesitated. 

“Well, I hope you like her,” he finished sadly. “Her name’s Hannah. She’s so beautiful. She works here at the hospital actually. She didn’t know you and Dad were here until I told her a few months ago. She wanted to come and visit today but she needed to take care of her grandfather. She made me promise to bring her next time so that she could meet you two.

“She’s really strong and smart,” Neville continued. As he talked, he busied himself by doing things around the room. Fluffing his parents’ pillows, brushing his mother’s hair. “She’s got a great sense of humor. And she’s very pretty. She has blonde hair and brown eyes. And she’s so supportive.”

Neville dusted off the nearby desk, replacing the old flowers in the vases with bright new ones. 

“Anyways, she’s a healer here at St. Mungo’s, like I said. She works down in the emergency department. That’s where we met actually. I mean, we met at Hogwarts, but we lost touch after school and everything. Then we met again here. I guess I’ve told you that already,” Neville finished with a shrug. He often found himself repeating things when he was talking to his parents. It was hard to remember what he had already said when he received no acknowledgement, no response of any kind.

He finished folding up a blanket before sitting back down next to Alice. She had moved her eyes to the nearby window where a chink of moonlight was streaming in, and she hummed lightly. He couldn’t recognize the tune, but he wasn’t really trying to; his mother often hummed unintelligibly. 

Neville continued to speak to her about his and Hannah’s wedding plans: all about the ceremony and the reception; where he wanted to take Hannah on their honeymoon; what his thoughts were on his and Hannah’s future.

He sat next to his father for a while too, wishing he could ask his advice on how to be a good man and a good husband. Neville only knew stories from his grandmother about what his parents had been like. He wished so badly that he could speak to them or even just hear their voices. Sometimes he did, in his dreams or in his memories, but it would never be the same. 

As the hours passed, Neville’s voice grew hoarse but his heart still felt light as he continued on about Hannah. He knew that some of the things he was saying were things he had undoubtedly said before, but it felt nice to talk to his parents, even though he was sure they couldn’t understand him. He hoped they did, but that hope had grown dimmed more and more over the years.

As the room grew darker, Neville lit a nearby lamp and looked down at his watch.

“I’m sorry, Mum, Dad,” he said. “But I better go. It’s getting late and I need to pick up some dinner for me and Hannah. I love you guys.” He took his mother’s hand again and kissed it before tucking her hair behind her ear. He squeezed his father’s shoulder reassuringly, promising to come back again soon.

Straightening his parents’ sheets and pillows one last time before leaving, Neville finally turned and picked up his cloak from the edge of his mother’s bed. He took a step towards the door, but suddenly, taking him by surprise, a soft hand touched his own.

Turning quickly, Neville saw that his mother was halfway out of bed. “Mum?” Neville said quietly. He stepped back and gently pressed her back against the pillows. “What is it, Mum?”

She held her hand out, fist clenched. Neville smiled. She was giving him another gum wrapper. He held his own hand out to receive it, but when Alice unclenched her hand to let it fall into Neville’s, it wasn’t a wrapper. It was much heavier.

Surprised by the heaviness of it, Neville looked down and saw a slim silver band laying in his palm with a bright diamond set within it. It gleamed and sparkled brightly in the moonlight. He looked up, tears forming in his eyes.

Alice was looking at him but her eyes were still distant. As if needing confirmation, Neville looked down to where his mother’s wedding ring had rested for as long as he could remember. But now, there was now only a thin indent on her slim finger.

His eyes flicked back to his mother, a few tears snaking from his eyes. “Thank you, Mum,” he whispered softly, his voice heavy. He bent forward and wrapped her in a gentle hug. “I love you.”

Alice didn’t reply, but Neville felt one of her hands softly resting on his shoulder. He pulled away after a moment, holding his mother’s hand for a few moments more. “Thank you,” Neville whispered again. And with that, Neville laid Alice’s hand back down upon the blankets and padded from the room, shutting the door behind him with a muffled snap.


End file.
